Her Mother's Daughter
by Alistanniel
Summary: Sequel to "One Day will be the Last". Ten years went by. Esperanza finds out who she really is.


_Story: a sequel to "One Day will be the Last". Ten years later.   
Disclaimer: the characters belong to DIC_

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**Her Mother's Daughter**   
  
_by Alistanniel_

  
  
  
Hi, Mom!" The ten years old girl with curly black hair and deep blue eyes closed the door behind her and walked to the kitchen, where she supposed her mother to be.   
"Hallo darling. How was your day?" her Mom a twenty-eight redhead answered.   
"Was great. Mrs. Wendell told us we are going to have a carnival party next Tuesday. Costumes needed."   
"Sounds interesting. Do you already have an idea for a costume?"   
"Not really. Can I go the comic store with Julie this afternoon?"   
"Sure, but first do your homework."   
"Of course. Julie said she is going to pick me up at three."   
"Are you looking for something special?"   
"I want to buy a poster to hang up over my bed."   
  
At three the doorbell rang and Ivy opened.   
"Hi Ms. Darren. Is Esperanza here?"   
"Hallo Julie. She will be finished in a minute."   
Just a moment later the raven-haired girl blew in.   
"Hi Julie. Let's go. Bye, Mom."   
  
As the two went of, Ivy smiled. Esperanza looked so much like her real mother.   
  
At the comic store Esperanza headed for the posters while Julie started to look for some comics.   
There were many many different posters from movies and actors, animals, anime series, famous people, cars and so on. Esperanza didn't like any of them. She was near to give up but then her eye caught another poster. This one was different. It showed a lady's head. The woman had curly black hair and wore a big red hat. Only one of her deep blue eyes was shown, her hair and hat covered the other. Shadows covered the woman's face. On the left side of the poster red letters said "The Mysterious Lady in Red".   
That was Carmen Sandiego, the master thief. Esperanza smiled. Her Mom has told her a lot of the famous thief. She decided to buy this poster.   
  
When she arrived at home Ivy was not here. She had left a message that she needed to go to the ACME headquarters and will be back soon.   
Esperanza left the poster on her bed and walked into her mother's room. She opened the cupboard's door and looked for that new shirt Ivy had bought. It was very nice and she wanted to put it on, no matter it was too big for her.   
But what she found instead was much more interesting. It was a red coat and hat. She quickly put both of them on and looked at herself in the mirror. The coat was a little too big but it definitely was the costume she would wear at her class' carnival party.   
While starring at her reflection she did not hear her mother was back. When she came in the room and saw Esperanza wearing the costume she murmured surprised, "You are really your mother's daughter."   
Esperanza heard that, "Oh Mom, sorry, I was looking for your new shirt when I found that costume."   
"Do you like it? It was my Halloween costume years ago."   
"It is absolutely fantastic! Can I wear it at our party at school?"   
"If you want."   
"Thank you!" When she wanted to run out the room Ivy stopped her.   
"Wait a moment, please. I need to tell you something."   
"What is it?" She sat down on the bed.   
Ivy got a disc out of a box hidden in her night shelf and put it into her laptop. "You are not my daughter. I promised Carmen to take care of you when she came to me ten years ago."   
"Wait. You want to tell me I'm Carmen Sandiego's daughter?"   
"Exactly."   
"But why she gave me away? And where is she now?"   
"I told you she is dead. She died about four months after your birth."   
Ivy pressed some keys on her laptop and a window opened on the screen. "Carmen gave this disc to me. It contains a message to you from her. Take a look on it."   
When Ivy wanted to leave, Esperanza grabbed her arm, "Please stay, Mom, watch it with me."   
  
_Hello, my little Angel. When you hear this message, Ivy decided the time for you to know who you really are has come now.   
I only want you to know that the short time we shared was the best in my whole life. And I hope that you won't think of me as a cowardly thief and condemn me for what I did in the past.   
I hope you will accept me as the person I was. Your mother.   
It was not to be. Even if I cannot be with you, even if fate separates us my thoughts would be always with you.   
I love you._   
  
During the last words tears started to ran all over Carmen's cheeks. When she finished speaking the screen got black.   
Esperanza was unable to say a word. Tears covered her eyes.   
Ivy gently wrapped her arms around her, "What do you think?"   
"Carmen's words were so sincere. After all what you told me about her and after this message I could never condemn her for she was a thief."   
"I'm sure she would be so happy to hear this."   
"Yeah. Mom, can I go outside? I want to be alone for a while."   
"Whatever you want."   
Before the ten years old girl rushed out the room, Ivy added: "Have I told you that Zack and Tasha have invited us for Sunday?"   
"Great! I'm looking forward to it. Can I show my costume to him?"   
"Sure. He is going to like it very much." Then the girl finally dashed away. Ivy smiled as she thought that Esperanza not only looks very similar to Carmen, she also has her temper.   
  
On Sunday Zack was very surprised when Esperanza showed him her Carnival costume, which Ivy had once worn on Halloween.   
"She looks so much like Carmen, doesn't she?" Zack asked, "Did you tell her the truth?"   
  
Ivy nodded. "And how did she take it?"   
"Very well. She said that now she knows the reason why she always liked Carmen." Zack grinned, "I see. Must've been some kind of an unconscious reaction. Like she was able to feel the connection."   
  
Esperanza looked forward to the Carnival Party. And she was sure her costume would be one of the best. Somewhere she had heard that costumes are best when they are connected to their carrier in some way. She didn't know whether it was true, but she felt herself very close to the red coat and hat. 


End file.
